


Anew

by WonderWells



Category: Twisted-Wonderland (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Azul Introspection, Azul-Centric, Character Study, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Little Mermaid Elements, Pre-Canon, Yall known that little mermaid scene where she gets her legs? This is it but with Azul
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-21
Updated: 2020-06-21
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:21:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24835285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WonderWells/pseuds/WonderWells
Summary: Azul felt blotchy tear tracks on his face while clutching the edge of the cauldron in regret from yet another failed attempt. It has been days, if not weeks since he started his plan to finally get rid of his hideous body. What was he missing? What did he need? So close to giving up, and then an offer was extended to him. And then a voice, something so deep and hallow yet intoxicating all the same then spoke. Not in his ears, but in his mind.So with the last shred of consciousness, he listened.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 41





	Anew

**Author's Note:**

> No ships just good old fashioned character study/ introspection. I was in a mood, watched some old clips, and bingo bango here we are. Want some sad Azul? Want a twisted version of the Ursula "let's make a deal" scene? You've come to the right place!

Azul felt blotchy tear tracks fall down his face while clutching the edge of the cauldron in regret from yet another failed attempt. It has been days, if not weeks since he started his plan. He hunched over the metal edge, wrapping his legs around one another in sheer tense aggravation as he leaned down on his elbows to stare at his reflection in the mirror-like mix of greenish goop that steamed and bubbled in the pitch dark pot. 

Why couldn’t he get this right? 

What was he missing? 

Jade and Floyd had gone out and hadn’t been back for hours now, trying to find any ingredient they hadn’t used or hadn’t looked up yet. It wasn’t that hard, Azul thought as he rubbed at his eyes once more. It didn’t help that the salty sting he felt only made him more frustrated and ashamed, feeling thorns of insecurity-laced embarrassment pain him worse than the empty shell of failure. The old magic must have worked, for The Great One had done it before. 

Azul would do it too. 

He had to. 

He pushed himself back, swimming over to the shelves that lined with potions and ingredients alike. The incantation he had memorized, but maybe he was misunderstanding the order of ingredients, or maybe even the amounts? It didn’t help the only book he could find on the topic was centuries old, probably older than half the sea itself. It described even some wild myth of a city named “Atlantis,” and alluded to the old fairy tale of some princess. He was skeptical at best, thinking it was more of just a pipe dream. But then the volume got more concrete, more solid in magical order in the sense of actual conjugations he knew and had read about. And if this tome was his key, then so be it. Every other potion known to mankind was only a temporary matter. Even the ones he petitioned from the greatest alchemists he knew. Even the one at Night Raven College. But no, he would create something that would give him what he wanted, permanently, for as long as he deemed. 

And if he had his way, he would never be cursed with his inkling, slimy eight legs ever again. 

And so he tried again. 

And again. 

He would get what he wanted. 

No matter what deal he had to make. 

When Jade and Floyd entered the large cavern they were worried. Jade more so than Floyd only just by a fraction more, but both nonetheless cautious at the lack of sound. No bottles, no bubbling cauldron, not even the self-muttering of Azul. Floyd frowned but stayed silent as they swam faster, worry turning into anxiousness when the cave zapped with power, a cloud of smoke and whirlwind of magic creating a wall of energy that stopped them in their path. Floyd, using his unique magic tried to reach out, squinting at the force until he was pulled back by Jade, who shouted and pointed at the dark purple and black blob that was being surrounded by turpentine bubbles. 

Azul was staring pleadingly into the cauldron, gripping the sides with such force that the heavy metal creaked, eyes welling with unconscious and unceremonious tears once more. He didn’t even notice the world around him, couldn’t hear anything but the sound of his echoed single solitary wish that voiced around him. 

Was it real? 

Or just in his head? 

Did it matter?

He didn’t know, but he pleaded with the sound anyways. Deaf to the screams of Jade and Floyd from beyond the magical wall he was blind to. A single shimmering tear ran down his cheek, stopping to drip just below his chin before a sob escaped his lips, and the tear dropped into the swirling, bubbling green and yellow-tinted mixture below. 

The second the tear touched the surface the cauldron all but exploded, a mass of electrical sizzling energy encapsulating Azul in a shell as bubbles wrapped around his entire body. He couldn’t breathe, could only see tinted gold through pulsating, glowing darkness as he struggled helplessly. And then a voice, something so deep and hallow yet intoxicating all the same spoke. Not in his ears, but in his mind. 

So with the last shred of consciousness, he listened. 

And he answered. 

He pleaded to make a deal and sign a contract on a golden parchment that would seal his fate. He felt it’s power, the voice with no form or figure smiling gratitude in his mind, granting him his one wish. 

His throat was overtaken by liquid, a burning, stinging liquid that he drowned in. Closing his eyes he gulped down what he could, sputtering and thrashing wildly. He kicked once, twice as he fought away from the pain, blinking with an open jaw as he gripped his throat in agony. But everything started to turn black and white, stars filling his vision, slipping away to what he was sure was the end. 

He felt irony, true irony at the idea of drowning. 

But he wasn’t alone. 

The magical barrier parted just enough for Jade and Floyd to swim through, grabbing Azul out of the slowly dissipating shell of bubbles. They gripped his arms tightly, using their combined strength to bring him to the surface. They shared a knowing look between one another but never stopping swimming towards the gleaming sun above on the water’s edge. 

Once they breached the surface Jade kept Azul’s face above the water, running a hand through the unconscious boy’s hair as he searched for any life in him. Floyd was none the one for patience though, pulling them towards a nearby sandy shore. They carefully pulled Azul out of the water, bracing themselves on their forearms to pull him up enough so they would still be able to breathe while tending to Azul. 

After all, the eel brothers still had gills and fins. 

Jade bent his ear over Azul’s chest, sighing in utmost relief when he heard Azul’s heartbeat. Floyd did the same, only after slapping a webbed hand across Azul’s face and watching the confused man blink awake. 

“Where am I?” Azul asked, groaning as he dryly coughed and spat onto the ground. 

His mouth felt dry yet all too coarse at the same time. His tongue and mouth tasted like salt. 

“Azul…” 

Jade started, looking down at Azul’s lower half. Where eight octopus legs used to be now were two human legs, and human anatomy to match. His purple and black ink and octopus form were gone, his gills and other aquatic parts replaced with entirely human ones. 

He was human. 

Entirely human. 

He sat up quickly, ignoring the sting in his chest as he grabbed his thighs, bending his joints to feel how they work. He tried to stand, but tripped over himself instantly much to Floyd and arguably Jade’s amusement. The eel brothers shifted further back into the sea, giving Azul room as he tried to stand again, using the side of a rock formation to balance himself. 

“Human legs are much more...jointly than I had anticipated.” 

Azul has of course studied up on human anatomy before starting his project, but the actual feeling and experience were much different than any research could have prepared him for. 

“Can you still ink?” Floyd asked openly, earning a small snicker and shove from Jade. 

Azul made a face for a moment but honestly did not know how to answer. He assumed no, as he was sure every part of his body was human, and thus lack of ink. But he would need to experiment further. Right now though, he was more focused on getting steady on two legs, on the sand, with his feet digging into the grains and he could feel every bit of it. 

He felt his smile threaten to split his face in two, running a hand down his new body. 

This was it, he was human. 

He didn’t have that old life anymore. 

He did it. 

And he knew how to undo it if he wanted to. 

He knew how to make the potion work now. All he needed was to make a deal. His unique magic simmered under his skin. He could feel it, right at the edge of his fingertips, and running down his veins. It intertwined with him, as it was him. He could feel the power, it was his and his alone. 

All he needed was a golden contract. 

And now he knew how. 

He didn’t know exactly how to make of it, and or even begin to explain it. But he didn’t care, not when he had legs! 

Jade sighed, swimming up close to the shore and used his weight to rise himself just enough up onto the rocks, looking at Azul with the most analytically curious expression he could offer in silence. Azul shifted cautiously under the scrutiny, looking away as he carefully took a few steps in practice. He wobbled, holding out his arms to the side like walking a tightrope. 

“Cool magic trick Azul!” Floyd started, splashing water at the now human boy. 

Jade quickly whipped his head to Floyd, about to admonish him but Azul just laughed. It was a bright, open, beautiful laugh to the blue sky above them. And yet, under his voice, there laid something still so insecure. Something that only the three of them could hear. But neither of them voiced it, and instead only smirked when Azul’s signature knowing and telling grin returned to his face as he said, 

“We have some work to do.”

**Author's Note:**

> If this ever gets de-canonized I will only accept it if they show me Azul's non-blotted octopus form.
> 
> Leave a kudos or a comment for the Monstero Lounge rainy-day funds!
> 
> (PS! I know it’s been decanonized! But isn’t it just the bomb diggity to play in the the cool story space!)


End file.
